After barely surviving a mandatory shutdown in response to the Coronavirus pandemic, the executive class running some of the largest film studios in the world decided that they weren’t quite ridiculously rich enough yet and furthermore they hadn’t taken enough liberties – financial, creative and moral – with those employed by them.

And so the actors and writers collectively said no and downed tools for five months in a dispute over pay (including residual payments in the age of streaming), working conditions, and especially the increasing threat of artificial intelligence being used to not only write screenplays based on algorithms but to steal the likenesses of actors (living and dead) and store them in perpetuity without just compensation.

With Hollywood productions quiet for half the year and none of the “talent” allowed to promote those movies that were completed prior to the strikes, we ended up with a more limited and less enthusiastically received slate of major releases. Not even superhero movies or franchise sequels fronted by Harrison Ford and Tom Cruise were guaranteed hits anymore.

Despite all this, 2023 ended up being a pretty good year for cinema, with plenty of examples of not only memorable blockbusters but of distinct filmmakers leaving their mark and under-represented communities providing vibrancy and freshness to a myriad of new stories. Based upon UK release dates, these are my 10 Best Films of 2023.

Follow me @SSPThinksFilm on X (Twitter).

10. You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah Review

2023 has been a great year for films about how Gen-Z processes their major life experiences, and this delightful, hilarious little film starring most of the Sandler clan (including Adam as an adorably schlubby dad) is up there with the very best.

As she approaches her her 13th birthday and the Jewish coming-of-age ritual, Stacy Friedman (Sunny Sandler) is determined to make her Bat Mitzvah the most perfect and memorable of her peer group, including that of BFF Lydia (Samantha Lorraine). But things get a lot more complicated as hormones, teenage crushes and petty but damaging psychological manipulation via social media enter the mix.

Five years ago, Bo Burnham made his memorable feature debut with Eighth Grade and told one of the most connective, visceral stories about becoming a teenager in years. Sammi Cohen’s film has the same aim but demonstrates how seismically culture has changed in just half a decade, all through a Jewish cultural lens. There may have never been a more challenging time to be growing up in an always-online age, and Alison Peck’s insightful script in addition to the across-the-board wonderfully naturalistic performances help to make this an unexpectedly profound crowd-pleaser.

9. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 Review

#JusticeforJamesGunn incarnate, the final chapter of the unlikeliest a-hole superhero team’s story shatters expectations and satisfyingly delivers on almost every level.

After years of defending the countless worlds together, the Guardians team has reached a precarious place. Their leader Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) has slumped into a depressed, alcoholic stupor after losing the love of his life Gamora (Zoe Saldaña), and Rocket’s (Bradley Cooper) past as a bio-engineered test subject comes back to haunt him in a very real way. Can the team come together one last time and save the galaxy, and themselves?

Marvel is seen as a pretty risk-averse studio and certainly much of their recent output has been received with a shrug from many viewers, but Guardians Vol 3 shows what happens when one of the best directors they partnered with is left to finish the story he wanted to tell. The action has never been more polished and visually dazzling, the performances from people and animated raccoons alike so honest and full of pain, Gunn’s love of animals so prominent as the team go up against a truly detestable figure who causes pain for the hell of it.

Recommended for you: MCU Marvel Cinematic Universe Movies Ranked

His work tackles many classic themes, such as dysfunctional families, love, loss, and grief, but Wes Anderson’s eccentric style means these stories stand out from the crowd. Whole websites are dedicated to his unique visual style, and his ability to engage and capture the imagination of his audience shows no sign of ebbing.

Wes Anderson has directed eleven films, all of which have received critical acclaim and an ever-growing fanbase. In this edition of Ranked, we at The Film Magazine are analysing each and evaluating them in terms of artistic merit, critical reception, and public perception, for this: Wes Anderson Movies Ranked.

Follow @thefilmagazine on Twitter.

11. Rushmore (1998)

Rushmore Review

A passionate but somewhat lacking student, Max (Jason Schwartzman), tries to find his way in a school where he just doesn’t fit in. Max is in love with his teacher (Olivia Williams), who is in turn in love with Herman J. Blume (Bill Murray). Herman is a parent at the school and inexplicably Max’s best friend. Max doesn’t handle this rejection well and tries to wreak revenge in his own offbeat way.

It is a conventional story told in a conventional style but with flashes of Anderson starting to seep in. Rushmore is not as highly stylised – or at least in a way which feels grounded in realism – but remains recognisable as a Wes Anderson film.

Rushmore is a steppingstone of a film. It’s easy to see how Anderson progressed from this to his more experimental style. Rushmore, while charming and funny, lacks the ambition and scope of Anderson’s later features.

10. Bottle Rocket (1996)

Bottle Rocket Review

In partnership with Owen and Luke Wilson, Bottle Rocket is Wes Anderson’s feature directorial debut.

It follows a group of complicated friends as they plan what should be a simple heist. Even though this is his first film, there are so many Anderson trademarks – a protagonist with questionable motives, a motley crew of people not quite up to dealing with the world around them, fast dialogue, humour, strange details that build to make a somewhat surreal reality.

While it is clear that we are in safe hands, Anderson’s style has not developed to its full majesty yet and that is why his debut finds itself towards the bottom of this ranking.

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The Spider-Man franchise has gone through more reboots than any other comic book character since Sam Raimi first brought him to the big screen in 2002. Over that time, whoever currently fills out the spandex has faced a variety of crazed scientists, criminals and rivals brought up to Spider-Man’s level by advanced technology, superpower-bestowing industrial accidents and cunning exploitation of the hero’s secret identity.

4 iterations of Spider-Man, 10 movies, many bad guys to fight, but which were the biggest threat to him and his nearest and dearest? A web of spoilers lies ahead in this edition of Ranked from The Film Magazine: Feature Film Spider-Man Villains Ranked.

Follow @thefilmagazine on Twitter.

16. Aleksei Sytsevich / Rhino – The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

“I am the Rhino! I told you I’d be back!”

A Russian mobster embarrassingly foiled by Spider-Man during a heist involving an armoured truck and a lot of plutonium, Aleksei is only too happy to don a rhinoceros-shaped mech suit (like you do) gifted by Oscorp’s Special Projects division to get his own back.

Aleksei is small-time, a wannabe tough gangster shown to be humiliatingly inept in his two fights against Spidey that bookend The Amazing Spider-Man 2. The usually-excellent Paul Giamatti is outshone by his forehead tattoo and is reduced to shouting in an outrageous accent straight out of a terrible Cold War action movie as he is webbed up and pantsed in his civilian clothes and then defeated in freeze-frame in his stupid robot rhino form.

15. Harry Osborn / Green Goblin – The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014)

“You don’t give people hope, you take it away. I’m gonna take away yours.”

Peter Parker’s childhood friend returns to New York to say goodbye to his terminally ill father and discovers he carries the same genetic blood disease that makes you grow talons and turn green. Harry discovers that Spider-Man’s altered blood may somehow offer a cure but, when the hero refuses him, he takes an untested spider venom formula that warps his body and mind, leading him to take vengeance against the Wall-Crawler.

We’re told rather than shown that Peter and Harry have a history here and expected to buy Dane DeHaan’s twitchy take on the character’s rapid physical, mental and moral decline simply because we know a Green Goblin has got to show up in this Spider-Man universe some time, somehow.

In the race to set up a Sinister Six spin-off movie that never happened, all of Harry’s characterisation seems to have been excised so we’re left with a petty arch-nemesis who meets the Webslinger precisely twice and decides to kill his girlfriend on a whim because it took him a ridiculously long time to remember his company had made a battle suit with a bodily repair function and only used it after he’d already taken the uglifying spider-formula.

14. Eddie Brock / Venom – Spider-Man 3 (2007)

“Oh! My spider-sense is tingling… if you know what I’m talking about!”

A shady and arrogant photographer and rival to Peter Parker at the Daily Bugle who gets taken over by an alien symbiote and plans to take revenge on Parker for the part he played in Brock losing his job.

Before Tom Hardy took the role down the schizophrenic antihero route, Topher Grace brought a very different version of Eddie Brock to life. First he’s just a jerk competing with Peter for a staff photographer job before his faked photos get him blacklisted. Then, coincidence of coincidences, he goes to pray at the same cathedral where Peter is trying to separate himself from the personality-altering symbiote in the bell tower above. The symbiote jumps to Eddie and he immediately goes all the way bad and hatches a plan to make Peter/Spider-Man suffer.

Very obviously a late addition to Spider-Man 3’s plot by a reluctant Sam Raimi, Venom is only really in the film for the final action scene and is a very simplistic, weirdly camp take on the character who fails to leave any real impression.

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These and countless more are the images that come to mind when you think of the movies of Sofia Coppola. They invoke a flurry of emotions and snapshots of memories. The heartbreak of first love and the loneliness of living in a foreign city. Sexual repression bubbling just below the surface. Material wealth – beautiful and shallow.

Coppola combines her love of fashion, photography and music to create a distinct visual style of hyper-femininity and pastel hues that runs throughout all of her movies. The eldest daughter of filmmaking legend Francis Ford Coppola, Sofia dabbled in a bunch of creative pursuits before setting her sights on directing. She interned with Chanel in Paris, studied painting, starred in several music videos, and even had bit parts in films like Peggy Sue Got Married and Frankenweenie (raise your hand if you can pick her out among Padme Amidala’s handmaids in Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace.)

Her first project, Lick the Star, a 14-minute short film released in 1998, is the root from which all her other works branch off, and it’s a fascinating glimpse into who she would become as a filmmaker. Often straying from conventional narrative form, Coppola’s movies are decidedly feminine and delicate, exploring themes of celebrity, girlhood, wealth, and privilege.

Her own wealth and privilege have been the subject of much discussion. Her performance as Michael Corleone’s daughter, Mary, in her father’s movie, The Godfather Part III (1990), was eviscerated by critics. Claims of nepotism were ramped, overshadowing the release of her debut feature film, The Virgin Suicides. But in time, and with an Oscar for Best Screenplay under her belt, Coppola emerged as an artist in her own right, with a unique vision and directorial style. She was the first American woman to win the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival (for Somewhere, 2010) and was the second woman ever to win Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival (for The Beguiled, 2017).

In this edition of Ranked, we at The Film Magazine will analyze all seven of Sofia’s Coppola’s feature films, evaluating each one based on its direction, writing, and performances, as well as how critical reception has changed over time. From her low budget debut The Virgin Suicides to her recent Apple TV exclusive One the Rocks, these are the Sofia Coppola Movies Ranked.

Follow @thefilmagazine on Twitter.

7. Marie Antoinette (2006)

Marie Antoinette and the Art of Historical Inaccuracy

Marie Antoinette, starring frequent Sofia Coppola collaborator Kirsten Dunst, was released just three years after Lost in Translation. Taking place over the course of around sixteen years, the movie begins with Marie Antoinette’s marriage to Louis XVI of France (Jason Schwartzman) and ends with revolutionaries storming Versailles and the royal family fleeing to Paris.

The film begins with Marie Antonia, just 14 years old, as she cuts all ties to her home country and her authentic self. It’s a striking image – a young girl dressed up like a doll, her face powdered white, hair sprayed thickly, and dressed in expensive fabric and jewels. Coppola seems to be saying: this is the story of a girl who will come to use her wealth as a shield. She will sink deeper into gluttony and extravagance to make up for the emptiness inside of her.

Unfortunately, the movie doesn’t do much with this idea. We don’t really get to know Marie Antoinette at all. Coppola seems far more interested in displaying her wealth and privilege instead of saying anything about it. Though it’s set against the backdrop of the French Revolution, the political and socioeconomic anxieties of the time are non-existent. It’s easy to see what Coppola was trying to do – by ignoring the situation outside the palace walls and distracting us with lavish jewels and decadent desserts, she shows how the royal family did the same thing. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have the desired effect. Rather than a critique of the royal family’s ignorance and the emptiness of excess, it feels empty.

Though Coppola is known for her melancholic pacing, Marie Antoinette drags. Contemporary music tries to instil some life into it, but the rhythmic pop ballads feel out of sync with the editing. The costume and production design are obviously incredible. It’s simply a feast for the eyes. Every single inch of every single frame is covered in rich fabrics and wigs piled high. But while it is lavish and the colors are rich and vibrant, they ultimately overshadow the interiority of the characters and the ending falls flat because of this.

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Klaus is a 2019 animation directed by Spanish director Sergio Pablos and distributed by Netflix. It features the voices of stars such as Jason Schwartzman, Joan Cusack and J.K. Simmons, and was produced by Pablos’ own animation company Sergio Pablos Animation Studios. The story follows Jesper’s (Schwartzman’s) trials and tribulations of being a postman on an island that doesn’t send letters, his unlikely friendship with a woodsman (Simmons), and how the duo transform the gloomy, feud-ridden island into a place of joy through delivering presents. It was a nominee for Best Animated Feature Film at the 2020 Oscars, and won the equivalent award at the 2020 BAFTAs.

It has been lauded by many as one of the great animated films made outside of the Hollywood studio system in the past ten years, but what makes Klaus so special? In this Movie List, we’re looking at this Christmas themed animated feature to offer 5 Reasons Why Klaus (2019) Is an Amazing Christmas Film.

Make sure to follow us on Twitter for updates on more articles like this one.

1. The Animation

In an age of animation inhabited almost exclusively by 3D releases, 2D animation is a breath of fresh air. With both 2D and 3D animation styles being blended together, Klaus is full of added depth but stays true to its nostalgic and unique art style.

Smeerensburg, where the film takes place, is inspired by German Expressionism in its design, both in terms of the buildings and the town’s inhabitants. The colour scheme also plays a large role in the atmosphere building throughout the film; Smeerensburg’s first appearance is dark, grey and rundown, but as time goes on, warmer tones begin to take over, especially in scenes of isolated happiness such as during the first present delivery.

Unlike the bland and corporate offerings of some of the US’s biggest animation studios – Illumination Entertainment, Warner Animation Group, etc. – every aspect of Klaus’ animation really adds to the emotional weight of its story, helping it to connect with audiences young and old.

2. It’s an Original Look at Santa’s Origin

The origin of Ol’ Saint Nick has been revisited time after time, both in literature and on screen, so to have a film in 2019 have a fresh take on the beginnings of Santa is already impressive, but to then have it be emotional, comical and magical takes the film to the next level.

The story behind why Klaus makes toys is enough to reduce any adult to tears, but then the comical edge of Jesper’s struggles with the actual delivering of the presents helps to ease the emotional tension. Jesper’s involvement in the story is actually very important, since it finally gives credit to postal workers – the ones who work extra hard to deliver the Christmas presents over the holidays.

Vitally, this change in perspective and in tone doesn’t kill the magic of Father Christmas, as despite the legendary figure’s disappearance, he still delivers presents every year.

Rushmore (1998)
Director: Wes Anderson
Screenwriters: Wes Anderson, Owen Wilson
Starring: Jason Schwartzman, Bill Murray, Olivia Williams, Brian Cox, Luke Wilson

Following on from the relative success of his debut Bottle Rocket, famed film auteur Wes Anderson developed a more distinctive style with his follow-up, 1998’s Rushmore. Rushmore stars Jason Schwartzman as fifteen year old Max Fischer in his film debut; a teenager who is focused more on his extra-curricular activities than his studies at the prestigious Rushmore school, much to the chagrin of the school’s staff.

Rushmore was the first of Anderson’s films to receive an overwhelming positive response from both critics and audiences. Although receiving relatively middling returns from the box office ($17.2million from a $9million budget) it has become something of a cult hit in the two decades since its release. Caroline Westbrook, in Empire, was full of praise for Rushmore, describing it as an “Offbeat and off centre high-school movie with acerbic one liners delivered by a superb cast. A real treat”. Westbrook also noted the strength of Bill Murray’s supporting performance and Schwartzman’s lead role as Max. Rushmore has gone on to feature in several “Best of” lists for films from the 1990s, including one put together by Rolling Stone.

The casting, as referenced by Westbrook in her Empire review, is one of Rushmore’s greatest strengths, with the central trio of Schwartzman, Murray and Olivia Williams each offering exceptional turns. Schwartzman and Murray have both worked extensively with Anderson in the years following Rushmore’s release, with Murray appearing in every Wes Anderson directed film from Rushmore onwards.

Murray plays the entrepreneur Herman Bloom, who strikes up an unlikely friendship with Max Fischer (Schwartzman) due in part to the disappointment he has in his children. As the film progresses and Max becomes fond of Rosemary Cross (Williams), the pair become love rivals and the fluctuating nature of the pair’s relationship forms much of the film’s core, with Schwartzman and Murray bouncing off each other terrifically. Olivia Williams is also a fine foil for Schwartzman and initially sympathises with Fischer before becoming increasingly put out by his antics and efforts for her attention. Brian Cox (The Bourne Franchise) also appears in a smaller supporting role as Dr Guggenheim, the principal of Rushmore who frequently butts heads with Max. While this role is slight, Cox offers a typically watchable performance, presenting his character’s substantial frustration at Max’s wasted academic potential.

Anderson’s musical cues, which have become synonymous with his work, are employed to great effect in Rushmore, with period music from The Kinks, Cat Stevens, The Faces and John Lennon used throughout. The filmmaker had initially planned to soundtrack the film exclusively with the music of The Kinks, but later decided against this idea, instead employing this technique for a large part of the soundtrack on The Darjeeling Limited (2007).

Another clear strength of Rushmore is in its screenplay, which Wes Anderson co-wrote with frequent collaborator and Bottle Rocket co-writer Owen Wilson. While their feature debut Bottle Rocket in many ways feels more conventional than subsequent films, Rushmore indicates the pair’s transition into the whimsical, with this sophomore feature’s quirky style of humour and dialogue being exactly what Anderson’s films would become synonymous with in later years. Anderson’s distinctive visual palette is also more obvious here, with long-time collaborator Robert Yeoman bringing a typically Andersonian autumnal feel to the film through his unique cinematography.

While leaving a relatively small dent at the box office upon release, Rushmore has since become one of Wes Anderson’s most recognisable works, and in the context of his filmography functions as a clear transition between Bottle Rocket and his wider portfolio, with his trademark visual palette and brand of humour shining throughout. The cast are constant delight with a star making turn from Jason Schwartzman, and while Rushmore may not be as instantly quotable as the Anderson’s later releases The Grand Budapest Hotel and The Royal Tenenbaums, it is a fine coming of age tale nonetheless; a film that has held up well in the two decades since its release and will likely garner fans for years to come. A fine starting point for those wanting to dive into the world of modern film authorship.

19/24

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)
Director: Wes Anderson
Screenwriters: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, Jason Schwartzman
Starring: Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Adrien Brody, Amara Karan, Waris Ahluwalia, Natalie Portman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray

“Yes, the past happened. But it’s over, isn’t it?” – one of the many very poignant lines in Wes Anderson’s emotionally charged The Darjeeling Limited.

Made in 2007, The Darjeeling Limited was Wes Anderson’s fifth feature film and included all of his now well known tropes, whether they be in the story, the visuals, or the soundtrack. This beautiful showcase, centered on the mourning of a loved one, is encased by a vibrant presentation of Indian culture that makes for not only one of the most typically Wes Anderson offerings of the filmmaker’s career, but a truly stunning film in its own right.

A year after the death of their father, three brothers – Francis (Owen Wilson), Peter (Adrien Brody) and Jack (Jason Schwartzman) – meet in India in order to go on a spiritual journey together by means of the Darjeeling Limited train. From the get-go it is clear that the three brothers have trust issues, and thus begins conflict by means of secrets and fights. Along their journey, the trio are kicked off the train, attend a funeral, have a few near misses of going home, briefly visit their mother, and finish their journey on a new train, all to cast off their father’s prized baggage. The tale is, of course, told in the screenwriter-director’s familiar idiosyncratic style.

Wes Anderson is a true auteur, particularly when it comes to visuals, and The Darjeeling Limited is no exception. From the opening scene, the film bombards you with Indian culture, starting by zooming through the streets in a rickshaw, then filling each frame with colour once on the titular train – the uniforms of those on board being particularly detailed and bright – and later juxtaposing the colour palettes of two funerals to create a genuine sense of catharsis. This is a tale of learning to grow after experiencing loss, and the colour palette is just as important to this journey as much of the dialogue. In Wes Anderson’s films, it is usually pointed out how unnatural the dialogue is between characters, and in this case this is notably used to create a world that feels slightly apart from our own, as if the characters are fulfilling an otherworldly obligation to their father and themselves. Filling such a well built and realistic setting with seemingly emotionally flat people makes the film all the more intriguing.

It is, of course, difficult to reference the visual style of Wes Anderson’s work without making note of his unique camera movements and framing. Here, every shot is carefully framed and filled with necessary information, the only camera movements seeming to come in harsh, notable zooms that reflect realisation or growth, or indicate comedy, with even tracking shots being kept to simple, steady presentations of information. Anderson has an unmistakable visual style, but in The Darjeeling Limited and the director’s other critical hits, the most memorable aspect of this style is how it always works to emphasise the people at the heart of his stories, the characters often being at the centre of frame, the workings of set, colour palette and other elements of visual design operating together as merely a backdrop.

The soundtrack of The Darjeeling Limited follows this aesthetic very closely too, mostly utilising traditional Indian music to ingrain the audience deeper into the setting of the film and emphasise the fish out of water aspect of the protagonists’ journeys.

The Darjeeling Limited, despite featuring the now iconic disconnected acting and far from naturalistic visual style, is an incredibly emotional journey for both the audience and the characters. Each character is going through their own private struggle as Francis is still healing from an almost life-ending car accident, Peter is coming to terms with becoming a father, and Jack is still getting over his break up from a toxic relationship, yet they each share the universal pain of losing a loved one; Anderson making the characters, their problems, and their coping mechanisms very relatable and their journey all the more riveting for it.

Wes Anderson’s fifth offering remains, even now at over a decade old, a truly beautiful film in every aspect. It is hearty, filled with visual splendor, offers a bittersweet aftertaste in conjunction with the filmmaker’s usual style, and is one of the best releases of his notable career. The Darjeeling Limited is a great film in every respect, one that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life.

21/24

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
Director: Edgar Wright
Screenwriters: Michael Bacall, Edgar Wright
Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Ellen Wong, Chris Evans, Brie Larson

Following the success of the first two entries in the critically and commercially acclaimed Cornetto Trilogy, Edgar Wright turned his attention to North American audiences with his adaptation Bryan Lee O’Malley’s “Scott Pilgrim” graphic novel series. With the film turning 10 in 2020, and with a theatrical release promised by the director himself, now seems like a fine time to revisit one of the filmmaker’s most under-watched gems.

Whilst a box-office flop at the time of release, Scott Pilgrim has gained a steady number of fans in the decade since, becoming something of a cult classic. The New York Times wrote that “Its speedy, funny, happy-sad spirit is so infectious that the movie makes you feel at home in its world even if the landscape is, at first glance, unfamiliar”. The film additionally earned praise in the UK with a five star review from Empire Magazine.

The protagonist of the film is the titular character Scott Pilgrim (Cera), a 22 year old from Toronto who is the bassist for struggling rock band Sex Bob-Omb. The plot focuses on Scott’s pursuit of a relationship with newcomer to the area Ramona Flowers (Winstead), who is trying to escape her past. To earn her affection, Scott must defeat her seven evil exes in a series of fun and elaborate video-game styled fights that could have leapt straight from the screens of classic Pac-Man or Super Mario. As an avid video game fan (as proven by their significant inclusions in ‘Spaced’ and Shaun of the Dead), Edgar Wright delivers in colour, stakes and homage, for a joyful sensory journey through the original material’s witty and relateable content.

As with each of Wright’s other films, the casting of Scott Pilgrim is spot on, and many of the core cast have gone to achieve great success in the years that have followed. Michael Cera is fantastic as Scott, the ‘Arrested Development’ star bringing his blend of humour to proceedings and nailing the empty-headed character with his typically endearing delivery. Mary Elizabeth Winstead offers some great support work as Ramona, with her tough attitude coming across as mysterious and interesting in wholesome opposition to the protagonist. In smaller roles, Chris Evans and Brie Larson (now veterans of the MCU) both excel in playing against type, and we are offered an early glimpse at Kieran Culkin’s talents prior to the smash hit series ‘Succession’.

Similarly, Wright is able to effectively and humourously balance the changes in tone that Scott Pilgrim’s original material has to offer, ensuring that comedy, action and romance exist seamlessly within the same picture. Early scenes with Scott and his initial love interest Knives, as well as his initial interactions with Ramona, seem to come from an entirely different film to the comic-book/video-game hybrid on offer later on, these early moments feeling more like a rom-com than an action-comedy. The juxtaposition of the tone works in the film’s favour, offering a graphic novel adaptation about as unique as you’ll find in pseudo-mainstream English language cinema.

The action sequences of Scott Pilgrim are perhaps its most unique feature however, with each of them illustrating Wright’s unique gift for making absurd situations work, the climactic showdown between Scott and Gideon proving an audio-visual delight. Many of the fight sequences are lifted straight from the pages of the source material, showing Wright’s reverence to the text and translating as unique and enjoyable cinematic inclusions in their own right.

With the film predominantly focusing on Scott and his band-mates, the music in Scott Pilgrim is of course a crucial ingredient as regards the film’s success. Many of the original songs performed by Sex-Bob-Omb fit the alt-culture tones perfectly, and Brie Larson nails her musical number as Scott’s ex Envy Adams – remarkably Larson was only 19 at the time of filming. The indie/alternative artist Beck features prominently on the soundtrack too, and he even composed some original material for the film, illustrating the reach of the novel and of Wright’s music-led directorial approach. There are even several video game pieces from the The Legend Of Zelda video game series scattered throughout.

In Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, it was refreshing to see Wright stretch his muscles and begin to show the variety in his releases that would be further demonstrated in his next non-cornetto film Baby Driver (2017). Pilgrim, like Driver, proved that Wright could operate without co-screenwriter and leading man Simon Pegg, and worked to solidify Wright as a trusty filmmaker in the Hollywood realm despite its financial woes. Funny, creative and endearing, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a film very much in the mold of its director.

18/24

Oscars favourites Pixar are once again there as the most experienced in the category to battle it out for the crown, however the absence of Disney Animation’s biggest hit of the year, Frozen 2, has not gone unnoticed.

The early dark horse in this race has been Netflix’s Klaus, though it does have to contend with other heavy hitting animation studios such as Dreamworks, Laika (the creators of former Oscar nominee Kubo and the Two Strings) and Netflix’s other animation entry I Lost My Body, which did well at both the Cannes and Annecy film festivals.

In 2020, it seems to be a pretty even race, so it will interesting to see which film takes the top prize.

Let’s take a closer look at this year’s contenders in the 2020 Animation Race…

How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

Director: Dean DeBlois

The second sequel in this year’s Animated Feature category is How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World, the final chapter in the How To Train Your Dragon franchise that wraps up a complex coming of age story.

When Hiccup discovers that Toothless is not the only dragon of his kind, the race os on to find the ‘Hidden World’, a utopia for dragons, before the tyrant Grimmel does.

Dreamworks brings an emotionally and visually beautiful end to the much loved series. The audience has grown alongside Hiccup and Toothless throughout the trilogy and The Hidden World is the perfect send off for our heroes. Getting to see the characters grow from children to adults over the years brings a true sense of realism to the saga even though it is an animated film series set in a fantasy world with dragons, and that shows just what talent Dreamworks has put behind the project.

Perhaps in any other year How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World might have been the front-runner in this race, but this year it has some tough competition to fight off.

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I Lost My Body

Director: Jeremy Clapin

I Lost My Body is a French animated fantasy drama that debuted at Cannes Film festival in 2019 and was the first animated feature to win the Nespresso Grand Prize. It is also Netflix’s second entrant in this category.

The story is a little bit bizarre. On the surface it’s a story of boy loves girl, but it’s also the story of the boy’s severed hand making its way back to him through a Parisian backdrop.

Leaning towards a more traditional animation style does not mean it is any less impressive than the others. The atmosphere is simple but extremely poetic, showcasing the losses that we all go through in life and exploring how rediscovering the missing parts of us is ultimately the reason we keep on living.

I Lost My Body disproves the assumption that animated films are for children in the most spectacular way, and could very well be the underdog to come out on top in this race.

Klaus

Directors: Sergio Pablos & Carlos Martinez Lopez

Klaus was one of a myriad of films released by Netflix around the Christmas period, however it was certainly one that stood out from the crowd.

Klaus is the directorial debut for Sergio Pablos and has an incredible voice cast of the likes of Jason Schwartzman and Rashida Jones, as well as J.K Simmons as the title character.

This is certainly a twist on the origin story of Santa Claus and follows the story of a postman stationed on an island in the North who befriends Klaus, a reclusive toymaker. The message of the story is clear, that one act of kindness can often spark another even in a place where feuding locals barely speak to each other.

Klaus is a heartwarming take on the Christmas origin story, filled with emotion and humour, with a message of kindness that really rings true, coupled with some stunning animation that (much like last year’s winner Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse) sets itself apart from the rest.

This is Netflix’s first animation to be nominated for an Academy Award, and it has already won the BAFTA for best animated feature, so expect some high praise for Klaus even if it doesn’t walk out with the trophy.

Missing Link

Director: Chris Butler

Missing Link is another stunning stop-motion animated feature from Laika, the creators of previous Academy Award nominee Kubo and the Two Strings.

It presents the story of Mr Link, a Sasquatch who befriends an English explorer and adventures with him to the Himalayas in search of his Yeti cousins. It is a traditional story of adventures and friendship, with a heartfelt and humorous core.

Missing Link is another contender with an all-star voice cast including Hugh Jackman, David Walliams, Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson and Zach Galifanakis just to name a few. Missing Link lets us celebrate a more traditional style of animation, away from the computer generated films that now dominate the genre. It was awarded the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature and was the first non-computer-generated animated film to win in this category, which certainly increases its chances of taking home the gold come Oscars night.

Recommended for you: Laika Animated Movies Ranked

Toy Story 4

Director: Josh Cooley

Pixar are no stranger to the awards scene when it comes to animated features, and this year they presented the fourth instalment to one of the most beloved animated franchises of all time, Toy Story.

The entire gang are back, including Tom Hanks and Tim Allen who reprise their roles and Woody and Buzz. We may have felt that Toy Story 3 gave the perfect send off to Woody, Buzz and the gang but this film developed their story that little bit further. We see the characters we know and love set off on a road trip with new owner Bonnie, and a new toy Bonnie has created and loves dearly. When said toy, Forky, gets separated from the group, Woody sets off on a quest to find him and ultimately make sure Bonnie is happy. Along the way, Woody runs into an old friend as well as some hilarious new ones that make him question his place in the world now that he is no longer a part of Andy’s life.

Toy Story 4 is blessed with the stunning visuals that Pixar always deliver, however it has a lot to contend with this year, and this chapter in the story did not quite hit the same highs as its predecessors, and may not quite make it to the finish line first (though never entirely discount Pixar…).

Recommended for you: Kitbull – Oscar Nominated Animated Short Review

There are some serious contenders in the Animation Race this year, and it will be interesting who will come out on top. Who do you think will win the Animation Race 2020? Let us know in the comments or tweet us.